


Call Me Melissa

by captainahmedica



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Family Dinner, Gen, McLahey Family Feels, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-25 01:25:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainahmedica/pseuds/captainahmedica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At a McLahey family dinner, when asked about grades, Isaac has a little trouble confessing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Call Me Melissa

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a request by [ihadaneel](http://ihadaneel.tumblr.com/), which was based on a prompt by [unamoosedsammy](http://unamoosedsammy.tumblr.com/) that was submitted to [sharmadness](http://sharmadness.tumblr.com/).

Isaac poked at the loose strands of pasta that remained at the bottom of his plate, scraping the side of his fork against it in an effort to gather up as much of the delicious alfredo sauce as he could. He couldn't remember the last time he had a meal that left him wanting to lick his plate clean. It look a lot of willpower not to.

"There's more in the kitchen," Melissa pointed with her fork, her eyebrows raised at Isaac. He instantly became self-aware and took what was on his fork into his mouth before setting it down. He gave a timid smile. "Isaac, please, help yourself. Go on." He hesitated still. "Don't make me chase you in there, young man," Melissa prodded playfully and Isaac felt a warmth course through his body. She reminded him of his own mother.

He got up and slipped into the kitchen. Melissa turned to Scott. "So, how's this semester going?"

Scott took a moment to swallow the food in his mouth and looked up, his voice confident, "Good! We got our chem tests back today," he paused there and waited for Melissa to ask him how he did.

"And?"

"Ninety-one," he proclaimed proudly, lifting his chest and shoulders in jest.

"Scott! That's wonderful!" Isaac marched back to the table and sat down. "What about you Isaac?"

"Hm?" he hummed with a mouthful of pasta.

"I heard you got your chemistry tests back today. How'd you do?"

Isaac had barely chewed through what he had in his mouth and it slid down his throat whole at Melissa's question. He choked a bit.

"Uh..." he groaned and coughed, trying to push up the loose strands of pasta that had lodged themselves in his throat. Then he realized that it felt more like his throat closing up. He didn't do well at all on that test. He barely scored a D. He looked up trying to find Scott or Melissa but his vision was blurred and his ears seemed to clog up. His head grew heavier and the room began to spin.

All he could think about was the cold darkness of the basement freezer, a fate that had always awaited him when he had to confess about his poor grades. Of course Melissa wouldn't subject him to the same punishment, but he couldn't shake the traumatizing flashbacks that played out in his mind. He began to shake.

"Isaac, are you alright?"

He heard Melissa's voice echoing against the inside of his head but the beginnings of the panic attack he was about to experience kept him from resurfacing.

"Isaac... Isaac!"

That was Scott yelling. He tried with all his might to stay focused, not to submit to the panic attack, not to fall back into the freezer, to stay afloat, _it's going to be alright_ , but it was as if he was being pulled down by his conscience into a dark, bottomless pit.

Until a hand found his and suddenly he wasn't falling anymore.

"Isaac, listen to me. Focus on my voice. Isaac. It's okay, Isaac. Isaac. It's okay. Breathe. Isaac, breathe." Her hand cupped over his, gradually sliding it off the table and allowing her other hand to cradle it from the bottom. She had pushed Scott back and taken matters into her own hands.

His breathing slowly began to relax. Sweat trickled down his temple down the edge of his jaw. His eyes stopped jerking around and he finally brought Melissa into focus.

"There, just breathe. It's okay, Isaac."

Finally able to form words again, he spoke, "I'm... I'm sorry..."

"Shhh. It's okay. No need to be sorry."

He caught eyes with Scott and saw the worry in his eyes. He felt his cheeks warm up in embarrassment.

"I... I don't know what came over me I just..."

"Isaac, it's okay. You don't have to explain yourself," her voice was smooth as silk and her eyes were softer than cotton. "Go, wash up." As Isaac got up, she squeezed his hand one more time and added, "If you need to talk to me... about anything..." he nodded in response and she let him go.

"Thank you... Mrs. McCall..." his voice was still a bit shaky.

"Isaac, please. We're past that. Call me Melissa."


End file.
